Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
Charlotte, NC Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in Charlotte, NC, North Carolina is $112,870 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 65 occupations and roughly 273,130 workers. Adjusted for Charlotte, NC's cost-of-living index of 96.7, that nominal average translates to $116,722 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $353,740; the lowest is Carpenter at $50,960.
Charlotte, NC, NC sits near the national cost-of-living baseline (index 96.7). 65 occupations are reported here with median wages averaging $112,870.
Highest-paying role in Charlotte, NC on BLS data is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $353,740 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. Cities at the national cost-of-living baseline are useful reference points for cross-region comparisons — the gross wage and adjusted wage are roughly equivalent, so headline comparisons work.
Salaries by Occupation in Charlotte, NC
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $353,740 | $116,840 – $637,800 | 160 |
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $269,270 | $107,990 – $363,240 | 280 |
| Pediatrician | Healthcare | $217,670 | $98,790 – $329,020 | 170 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $189,220 | $103,490 – $312,000 | 1,140 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $176,840 | $119,750 – $305,560 | 8,120 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $172,760 | $111,000 – $329,110 | 9,290 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $166,200 | $94,240 – $268,360 | 3,830 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $162,000 | $76,540 – $311,420 | 5,930 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $158,930 | $99,310 – $292,290 | 2,310 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $157,210 | $39,280 – $209,790 | 260 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $157,180 | $61,830 – $371,170 | 5,380 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $150,580 | $91,770 – $173,930 | 2,530 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $135,920 | $93,690 – $172,360 | 20,820 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $134,410 | $95,280 – $173,800 | 2,350 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $133,140 | $99,610 – $169,220 | 1,680 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $132,460 | $70,790 – $171,200 | 4,420 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $131,440 | $81,430 – $192,300 | 2,640 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $130,310 | $107,350 – $170,490 | 1,970 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $129,080 | $78,940 – $214,370 | 750 |
| Statistician | Technology | $126,350 | $66,190 – $170,080 | 100 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $118,230 | $72,140 – $167,750 | 1,030 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $113,890 | $64,770 – $164,220 | 550 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $112,730 | $55,750 – $274,620 | 18,380 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $111,080 | $71,840 – $216,300 | 3,630 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $110,790 | $76,360 – $168,660 | 7,870 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $110,790 | $43,330 – $170,580 | 3,290 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $106,510 | $65,540 – $172,310 | 6,790 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $105,240 | $67,200 – $167,690 | 1,670 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $105,180 | $62,100 – $131,730 | 1,360 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $103,360 | $65,140 – $213,210 | 1,770 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $102,920 | $49,990 – $169,820 | 8,000 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $102,630 | $80,080 – $172,430 | 110 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $102,370 | $73,790 – $164,990 | 3,730 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $102,090 | $75,670 – $140,000 | 2,680 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $101,980 | $61,790 – $152,890 | 510 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $101,950 | $74,530 – $157,120 | 2,470 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $101,060 | $80,840 – $126,180 | 1,680 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $99,440 | $49,760 – $222,260 | 4,850 |
| Architect | Engineering | $98,620 | $65,690 – $165,210 | 1,340 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $98,450 | $63,710 – $121,090 | 1,140 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $98,390 | $92,120 – $103,760 | 1,910 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $94,290 | $43,800 – $162,420 | 1,070 |
| Accountant | Finance | $92,910 | $59,200 – $167,330 | 16,820 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $90,960 | $59,230 – $125,380 | 1,260 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $90,620 | $69,680 – $110,020 | 27,010 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $89,990 | $23,700 – $136,870 | 4,180 |
| Audiologist | Healthcare | $89,190 | $81,510 – $107,990 | 60 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $84,720 | $48,110 – $143,140 | 670 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $82,930 | $47,960 – $160,460 | 9,500 |
| Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $81,990 | $64,990 – $133,940 | 3,900 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $78,200 | $39,350 – $137,900 | 4,080 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $75,420 | $48,610 – $117,160 | 1,110 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $75,190 | $43,920 – $149,990 | 2,470 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $74,530 | $29,410 – $184,120 | 440 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $63,720 | $43,960 – $129,470 | 420 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $62,360 | $41,240 – $91,880 | 2,020 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $60,300 | $47,270 – $75,520 | 8,500 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $59,870 | $43,160 – $99,530 | 4,140 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $59,810 | $39,380 – $95,380 | 1,640 |
| Electrician | Trades | $59,080 | $43,770 – $76,310 | 5,250 |
| Plumber | Trades | $58,690 | $42,320 – $76,010 | 3,840 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $58,680 | $47,280 – $75,510 | 10,770 |
| Welder | Trades | $56,070 | $41,060 – $75,910 | 3,370 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $53,660 | $34,470 – $88,130 | 7,990 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $50,960 | $38,240 – $65,640 | 3,730 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in Charlotte, NC is Obstetrician/Gynecologist, with a median of $353,740 and a 90th-percentile reading of $637,800. That $520,960 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Charlotte, NC, the average median salary is $112,870. The top five roles average $241,348 — about 2.1× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
Charlotte, NC sits close to the U.S. average on cost of living (index 96.7). Headline salary numbers translate roughly one-for-one into purchasing power — useful as a national benchmark city when comparing offers across markets.
Salary Negotiation in Charlotte, NC
For salary negotiation in Charlotte, NC, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 96.7 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How Charlotte, NC Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for Charlotte, NC, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (96.7) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Charlotte, NC in 2026?
The average salary in Charlotte, NC is $112,870 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 65 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $112,870. The top-paying role is Obstetrician/Gynecologist at $353,740.
Is $100,000 a good salary in Charlotte, NC?
In Charlotte, NC, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $103,413 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 96.7). That is above $100K of buying power — a $100K salary stretches further in Charlotte, NC than in most U.S. metros. Compared to the city's average median of $112,870, $100K is below the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Charlotte, NC?
The top-paying tracked occupations in Charlotte, NC are Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($353,740), Family Medicine Physician ($269,270), Pediatrician ($217,670), and Dentist ($189,220). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $157,210 to $353,740. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/charlotte.
How does Charlotte, NC's cost of living affect salaries?
Charlotte, NC has a cost-of-living index of 96.7, 3% below the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $112,870 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $116,722 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in Charlotte, NC?
Across the 65 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the Charlotte, NC metro is approximately 273,130. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this Charlotte, NC salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Charlotte, NC MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 65 occupations · COL Index 96.7.